Online Education Webinar: Understanding the California Legislature

February 24, 2026 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (PST)

Description

Join us for an insightful session on the California Legislature, presented by Lauren Wesche and Jim Lites of California Strategies & Advocacy, two leading experts in state policy and legislative advocacy. This session will provide a timely overview of the legislative landscape in California.

This webinar will strengthen your understanding of how the legislative process works. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain practical context from seasoned professionals working at the heart of California’s policy arena.

Presenters:

Lauren Wesche

Lobbyist, California Strategies & Advocacy, LLC

Lauren Wesche has more than a decade of experience in legislative, association, and public relations work, with a strong track record in lobbying and strategic advocacy. She has successfully represented a wide range of clients at both the state and federal levels, navigating complex policy environments and building trusted relationships with elected officials, committee staff, and agency leaders.

At California Strategies, Lauren serves as Deputy Director of the California Airports Council, representing California’s 31 commercial airports. She leads the Council’s legislative and regulatory engagement, including testifying in committee hearings, meeting directly with legislators and staff, and coordinating advocacy campaigns. Lauren also provides federal advocacy, traveling to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress and federal agencies on issues impacting California’s airports and aviation sector. Notably, she planned Aviation Day at the State Capitol, securing sponsorships and participation from more than 20 aviation non-profits, highlighting the role of airports in statewide mobility and economic development.

Lauren brings deep experience in association management, having helped guide the policy priorities, outreach, and public affairs strategies of several member-based organizations. She has successfully executed large-scale events, secured sponsorships, built coalitions, and aligned internal and external stakeholders around shared advocacy goals.

She also has direct experience with the California state budget process, advocating for funding restorations and program protections through multiple budget cycles. Notably, she helped hold off additional funding cuts to critical programs during down budget years by working closely with legislative leadership and administration officials.

Previously, Lauren supported legislative and regulatory efforts for California’s hospitals, focusing on issues such as Medi-Cal, behavioral health, workforce, and emergency preparedness. She organized lobby days, developed legislative issue briefs, and coordinated ballot initiative support to help shape state health policy.

She began her career at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide, where she worked on high-profile statewide and national initiatives, including the launch of Covered California, outreach for the California High-Speed Rail Authority, and communications strategies for the Department of Water Resources. She was also part of a crisis communications team supporting BP America during the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

Lauren earned two Bachelor of Arts degrees from California State University, Sacramento: one in Communications and another in Arts and Letters. She serves on the board of CLARA — the E. Claire Raley Studios for the Performing Arts — where she contributes to nonprofit governance and community engagement. Known for her strategic thinking, polished communication, and ability to build durable relationships, Lauren is a trusted advocate in both Sacramento and Washington, D.C.

Jim Lites

Partner + Vice Chairman, California Strategies, LLC

Jim Lites has over 30 years of experience in government, consulting, and association management.

As a long-time legislative advocate, Jim has experience in various policy arenas including transportation, public transit, tax policy, privacy, housing policy, wireless telecommunications, aviation, passenger rail, public pension policy, mortgage insurance, local government, and cargo and goods movement. Jim also engages with the state budget and regularly works with various clients to achieve budget-related goals. Jim currently serves on the Technical Advisory Committee for the San Bernardino International Airport. He has previously served on the California Maritime Security Council, the California Freight Advisory Committee, and the Advisory Board of Reviver Auto, a California technology start-up company.

In 2009, Jim was selected to serve as the Executive Director of the newly formed California Airports Council (CAC), representing the 31 California commercial airports. The CAC educates policymakers on California's commercial aviation and issues that impact airport finance and operations. Over the last 10 years, Jim has helped build the CAC into a respected voice for California’s commercial airports and, in 2013, received the Wanamaker Award for his impact on the aviation industry.

Jim began his public service in the Senate Fellowship Program in 1989, assigned to the Senate Budget Committee. He later served in the State Assembly in various positions, including Chief Consultant to the Assembly Committee on Revenue and Taxation, Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Marguerite Archie-Hudson, and Senior Consultant for tax policy, economic development, and international trade to Assembly Speaker Cruz Bustamante.

Finally, Jim served as Chief of Staff to Speaker Emeritus Bustamante. Before joining California Strategies, Jim was a Partner in the public policy advocacy firm of Schott & Lites from 1999 to 2015.

Jim volunteered to represent his Arden Park Neighborhood Association pro bono and played a key role in updating California state law with the enactment of AB 394 in 2005. This bill deleted unenforceable racial and religious residency restrictions that still appeared within CC&Rs for older housing developments.

In his community, Jim volunteered as President of the Board of Directors for the Arden Park Dolphins Swim Team from 2004-2007 and Head Coach of the Arden Park Shooting Stars girls youth soccer team from 2001 through 2010. In 2013, Jim was appointed to a vacancy on the Board of Directors of the Arden Park Recreation and Park District serving from 2013 through 2020 and as Board Chairman in 2015-16.

Jim served on the Undergraduate Student Association Council as the elected Academic Affairs Commissioner at the University of California Los Angeles in 1987 and earned his bachelor’s degree in political science from UCLA in 1988. After completing the California State Senate Fellowship, Jim studied international political economy at the Universidad de Belgrano in Argentina in 1990 and is fluent in Spanish. Jim completed his master’s degree in international Affairs at California State University, Sacramento in 1995.

Jim’s hobbies include international travel, photography, acid jazz, and tropical aquariums. Jim was born in Pasadena, California and currently resides in Sacramento with his wife and has three adult daughters.